Medicaid

Erosion of Rural Maternity Care Continues

At a rate of more than two a month since the end of 2020, rural hospitals have closed or announced that they will be closing their maternity units – 124 in all by the end of 2026. As a result, today only a little more than 40 percent of rural hospitals – most of them safety-net hospitals – continue to provide maternity services, with fewer than a third of such rural hospitals doing so in 12 states. The hospitals blame a number of factors for this continued erosion, including inadequate private insurance and Medicaid payments and difficulty recruiting the providers [...]

joe2026-01-27T16:25:01-05:00January 28, 2026|hospitals, Medicaid|

Federal Health Policy Update for January 15

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 9-15. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House has unveiled “The Great Healthcare Plan,” which it describes as “… a broad healthcare initiative that will slash prescription drug prices, reduce insurance premiums, hold big insurance companies accountable, and maximize price transparency in the American healthcare system.” The major components of the plan, and the key steps for each, are: lower drug prices slash prescription drug prices allow more over-the-counter medicines lower insurance premiums send the [...]

joe2026-01-15T16:13:09-05:00January 15, 2026|340b, Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare|

CBO Looks at Opioid Crisis

In light of the growing impact of the opioid crisis on public health, communities, and the economy, the Congressional Budget Office has examined possible approaches to addressing this crisis. In addition to steps such as reducing the supply of illicit opioids, increasing treatment for individuals in the criminal justice system, and enhanced monitoring of drug prescribers, the CBO envisions an important role for health care providers in any attack on the opioid crisis. Specifically, in its new report the CBO explores: expanding Medicaid coverage of treatment expanding use of telehealth for treatment increasing access to overdose reversal medications increasing treatment [...]

joe2026-01-14T12:19:40-05:00January 14, 2026|Medicaid, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for January 8

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 29 to January 8. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Congress returned from winter recess facing a full policy agenda and health care issues remain prominent. Following the expiration of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits, the House is expected to vote on a three-year clean extension brought by a discharge petition from Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY). The Senate is unlikely to advance the measure but a bipartisan group of senators is developing an alternative: [...]

joe2026-01-08T15:32:32-05:00January 8, 2026|340b, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for December 29

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 19–December 29. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Rural Health Transformation Fund CMS announced that all 50 states will receive awards under the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under the 2025 reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities. In 2026, states will receive first-year awards averaging $200 million, ranging from $147 million to $281 million. The Rural Health Transformation Program’s $50 billion in funds will be allocated to approved states [...]

sysadmin2026-01-03T11:47:43-05:00December 29, 2025|Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for December 18

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 12-18. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress In a 216-211 vote yesterday, the House passed the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, a Republican package aimed at addressing multiple health care policies. The legislation includes provisions for employee tax-advantaged benefits like HSAs and FSAs, cost-sharing reductions (CSR) subsidies, and increased transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). It notably did not include an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that many of the [...]

joe2025-12-18T16:29:43-05:00December 18, 2025|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Hospital Bad Debt and Charity Care Rising

Hospital bad debt and charity care are rising, according to a new report. Both are up five percent from October of 2024 to October of 2025 – and 40 percent greater than in 2022. Among the causes are natural demographic changes and post-COVID Medicaid redeterminations, the latter of which is leaving many low-income Americans without health insurance. The impact of rising bad debt and charity care are being felt most in the western U.S. And one bright spot: charity care and bad debt as a percentage of hospital gross revenue fell two percent between October of 2024 and October of [...]

joe2025-12-16T16:30:49-05:00December 17, 2025|hospitals, Medicaid|

Hospitals Shedding Pediatric Services

More and more hospitals are shedding their less profitable pediatric services, a review of 20 years of hospital activity has revealed. Driven by a combination of staffing issues and low Medicaid payments, hospitals are increasingly closing some of their pediatric services, according to a review in the journal Pediatrics, which found that Among more than 3000 US hospitals, 26.7% provided minimal pediatric services in 2003, which increased to 65.0% in 2022… Learn more about the challenges hospitals face in providing care for children and the impact of 20 years of decline in hospitals’ ability to provide such care from the [...]

joe2025-12-11T15:27:48-05:00December 15, 2025|hospitals, Medicaid|

Federal Health Policy Update for December 11

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 5-11. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The Senate voted today on competing proposals to address health care affordability: Democrats sought a clean extension of the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits set to expire on December 31 while Republicans tried to consolidate support around an alternative plan. Neither bill gained the 60-vote threshold needed for passage. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) intends to bring a vote on a health care package next week but at this [...]

joe2025-12-11T15:48:53-05:00December 11, 2025|Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare disproportionate share, Medicare DSH, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

CMS Fleshes Out Medicaid Work Requirement

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued additional guidance to the states on how to implement the work and community engagements established as part of the criteria for Medicaid eligibility under H.R. 1, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law in July. The requirements seek to connect able-bodied, working-age adults with work and community engagement activities and reduce inappropriate Medicaid enrollment. The states are required to implement these requirements by January 1, 2027 but may do so sooner if they wish. In providing this guidance, CMS enumerates four major principles, quoted [...]

joe2025-12-10T12:57:33-05:00December 11, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid|